In an effort to see as much of Italy as we can, a few weeks ago we took a trip to Genoa (Genova in Italian) to see not only the city but also the Ligurian Coast (the Italian Riviera if you will). Liguria is the thin region of Italy that extends along the coast from the French border past Genova, Portofino, the Cinque Terre to the Tuscan border. It is a true wonderland of beautiful cities and towns clinging to the shore with views that take your breath away.
We stayed in the “centro storico” (historic center) of Genova near the port. It is an absolute warren of small streets and alleyways that can easily get you going in circles and lose track of direction, but small enough that you cannot really get lost.
We stayed just a few blocks from the beautiful old Cathedral of Saint Lawrence built between the 12th and 14th century. It was everything you come to expect from these magnificent structures, but it had an added bonus. In 1941 during WW II the British were bombarding the city and the cathedral was struck by a shell. The device miraculously (according to some, an actual miracle) did not explode. They have disarmed the shell and it is still on display in the building.
Genova is the only city I know where you can commute to your residential neighborhood by an elevator or a funicular. Very close to the port and the old city they have both. The hallway to the elevator is a work of art in itself and the views from the top of both are spectacular.
Earlier I sent a couple of photos of Portofino, but because it is such a beautiful and unique place, I wanted to include a few more for you. Because it is on a peninsula, you need to somehow get the two or three miles from the train station to the actual town. We walked to the castle that overlooks the port and to the lighthouse beyond. It was a hot day and we were hot and thirsty once we reached the lighthouse. To our pleasant surprise, once we reached it, there was a little cafe/snack bar with drinks and eats over-looking the sea. What a treat.
There is a bus that runs on a regular schedule and we took it out and half way back. We then got off and walked back to Santa Margherita Ligure where the train station is, following the red carpeted walk between the two. As beautiful a walk as you will find in this world.
As we traveled up and down the coast, we found beautiful sea walks, amazing architecture and marvelous views everywhere we went. The one foundation compound we found was worthy of a Bond or science fiction movie. We looked it up and they say they are involved in medical research, but, look at that building.
What most of you probably remember about Genova from your elementary school days is that it is the birthplace of Christopher Columbus (Cristoforo Colombo). His childhood home has been rebuilt and stands just a few feet from the old city gate seen in the photos above. In the US, he now comes with a lot of baggage. In Seattle they even changed his holiday to Native American Day. However, in Genova (also in Barcelona) he has many statues and monuments dedicated to him. I found this one especially telling. Note the young, half-naked, native woman being presented as part of the treasure found in the new world. Even with our current administration, I am not sure you could get away with this in the US.
